This question has not been thoroughly tested and the Census Bureau's own research from 2017 shows that asking questions about immigration status increases concerns about confidentiality and decreases the likelihood of complete responses.

The citizenship question weakens Colorado's opportunity to increase its federal representation and assistance by increasing the risk of an undercount:

Nonprofits rely on accurate Census data to have a clear picture of the communities and populations they serve. Undercounts weaken their ability to fully understand community needs and direct their resources appropriately.

Reduced federal assistance means less federal funding for grants and contracts that support nonprofits' mission-related work. This includes state and local government grants and contracts funded entirely or partially by federal funds.

The citizenship question is unnecessary. The American Community Survey already collects citizenship data at the block level every year. Including this question on the census form would means all people would be required to answer it rather than the concentrated and representative sample used for the American Community Survey.

How to Comment on the Citizenship Question

The comment period is closed. We asked nonprofit organizations to submit comments by 11:59 pm on Tuesday August 7, 2018.